After two-game skid, Capitals focus on making sure it doesn’t stretch longer

A certain degree of satisfaction wafted through the Washington Capitals’ dressing room following a victory over the Boston Bruins on Nov. 5. Two days earlier, the Capitals sustained what still ranks as one of their more lopsided defeats of the season, a 5-2 thrashing on the road against the New York Rangers, and the game against the Bruins served as a potential impediment to accomplishing one of the team’s more informal goals.

Recognizing the implications a losing streak can have on a team’s psyche, let alone its playoff standing, players casually discussed before the season a desire to avoid consecutive losses. A five-game skid and a four-game slide last season were instrumental in forcing the Capitals to rally over the final month to qualify for the postseason. Avoiding such a scenario again would be paramount, and an understanding that losing back-to-back games, regardless of the manner of the defeat, was crucial to avoiding greater gloom.

The Capitals won that game against the Bruins, and then won five others, warding off the specter of a losing streak with disciplined resolve. On Saturday, that ambition ended, with a 5-4 shootout road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets following a 4-2 defeat at the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

It wasn’t until the 38th game of the season, a week shy of the midpoint, when Washington’s ambitious bubble finally burst.

“It’s out the window,” defenseman Karl Alzner said. “We weren’t looking to build a streak. We were just looking to have solid efforts the next game because we had some battles last year after losses, so it’s just about turning the page.”

Washington’s season-long five-game road trip continues Tuesday with a game against the Bruins, then continues on Thursday at the New York Islanders and ends on Saturday afternoon with a game against the Rangers. Those three games, all against teams currently in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, will provide a challenge for players who have spoken frequently throughout the season about remaining resilient and persistent.

For the first time this season, the Capitals have had to confront injuries to key players, forcing a shift in responsibilities that undoubtedly contributed to the two recent losses. They weathered top-line center Nicklas Backstrom’s three-game absence early in the season and have withstood the loss of defenseman Brooks Orpik to an unspecified leg injury since early November. A hand injury incurred by third-line center Jay Beagle, who was third in the league in faceoff win percentage, and an unspecified knee injury that Orpik’s top-pair partner, John Carlson, sustained early last week has led to some reconfiguring.

Marcus Johansson, the second-line left wing for a large portion of these past two seasons, filled in for Beagle and went 2-for-14 on faceoffs in the loss to Columbus. Aaron Ness, who has played much of his first five professional seasons in the minor leagues, was recalled and made his debut for the Capitals in that game. Zach Sill, a journeyman forward recalled as insurance last week, has remained with the team and played in each of the last three games.

“Everybody has to adjust,” coach Barry Trotz said. “Everybody wants an opportunity to play more minutes, and [injuries are] a way to do that.”

Injuries also show the fragile nature of being one of the league’s top teams. With 59 points entering Tuesday, the Capitals (28-7-3) are not only atop the Eastern Conference, but they’ve been jockeying in recent weeks with the Dallas Stars — who, coincidentally, lost consecutive games for the first time this season over the weekend — for the best overall record.

Much of the turbulence players have experienced since October has been taken in stride — an approach, Alzner said, that can be tied to right wing Justin Williams, who has frequently urged teammates to forget about their troubles and work to improve themselves beginning with the next day’s practice.

“It’s hard because when you lose, it means that some guys probably aren’t playing that great, and if you’re not playing great, it gets in your head,” Alzner said. “So, we have a job as teammates to get everybody excited again, even after you have a bad game or you don’t win a game. We’ve done a great job.”